Water-Resources Investigations Report 03-4260
Yousif K. Kharaka,James K. Otton, Editors
Prepared in cooperation with the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Department of Energy National Petroleum Technology Office.
Complete accessible text of
report (7 MB PDF)
To view PDF documents, you must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader (free from Adobe Systems) installed on your computer. (download free copy of Acrobat Reader).
Exploration for and production of petroleum have caused major detrimental impacts to soils, surface and ground waters, and the local ecosystems in the United States. These impacts arise primarily from the improper disposal of large volumes of saline water produced with oil and gas, from accidental hydrocarbon and produced water releases, and from abandoned oil wells that were not correctly sealed. It is important to understand the long-term and short-term effects of produced water and hydrocarbon releases from these sites in order to develop risk-based remediation plans. Remediation is particularly needed in aging and depleted fields where land use is changing from petroleum production to residential, agricultural or recreational uses.
About 20 scientists from the USGS and other governmental agencies and academia are involved in a multidisciplinary investigation to study the transport, fate, and natural attenuation of inorganic salts, trace metals, organic compounds and radionuclides present in produced water, and their impacts at the Osage-Skiatook Petroleum Environmental Research (OSPER) "A" and "B" sites, located on the Osage Reservation in Osage County, Oklahoma. Stakeholders in the project include the Osage Nation, which holds the mineral rights, the Bureau of Indian Affairs with trust responsibility, and the Army Corps of Engineers, which owns the surface rights at these sites and manages adjacent Skiatook Lake. The 4250-hectare Skiatook Lake provides drinking water to local Tulsa suburban communities and a rural water district, and offers recreational fishing and boating opportunities to tens of thousands of visitors each year.
Approximately 1.5 and 1.0 hectare of land at the OSPER "A" (depleted Lester lease) and "B" (active Branstetter lease) sites, respectively, are affected by salt scarring, tree kills, soil salinization and brine and petroleum contamination due to the leakage of produced water and associated hydrocarbons from brine pits and accidental releases from active and inactive pipes and tank batteries. The leases are typical of many depleted and aging petroleum fields in Osage County, which ranks among the top oil and gas producing counties in Oklahoma with about 39,000 wells. Oil and gas production has occurred in Osage county for over one hundred years, but current production is mainly from stripper wells (averaging ~2.8 bbl/d oil and >30 bbl/d brine) that are shallow, mostly 300-700 m in depth, and produce from several sandstones of Pennsylvanian age.
Results to date show that the produced water source is a Na-Ca-Cl brine (~150,000 mg/L total dissolved solids), with relatively high concentrations of Mg, Sr, and NH4, but low SO4 and H2S. With the exception of Fe and Mn, the concentrations of trace metals are low. Results also show that some and, eventually, the bulk, of inorganic salts and some dissolved organic species in the released brine from both sites will reach Skiatook Lake.
Results at the "A" site show that the salts have essentially been removed from the sandy soil which formed in a surficial layer of eolian sand, but degraded and weathered oil persists on the surface of old oil and brine pits, close to sites of old tanks, on old channels that carried oil from tanks to the oil pits and other impacted areas. Results also show a plume of high salinity water (5,000-30,600 mg/L TDS) is present at intermediate depths that extend from below the old oil and brine pits to Skiatook Lake. No liquid petroleum was found in the contaminated groundwater, but soluble petroleum byproducts, including organic acid anions and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are present. Results to date clearly show that significant amounts of salts from produced-water releases and petroleum hydrocarbons still remain in the soils and rocks of the impacted area after more than 60 years of natural attenuation. At the "B" site significant amounts of produced water from the two active brine pits percolate into the surficial rocks and flow towards the Skiatook Reservoir; but only minor amounts of liquid petroleum leave the brine pits and reach the Skiatook Reservoir. At both sites, results show that the chemical composition of released brines is modified further by sorption, mineral precipitation/dissolution, transpiration, volatilization and bacterially mediated oxidation/reduction reactions.
Introduction and Summary
By Yousif K. Kharaka and James K. Otton
Abstract
Introduction
OSPER "A" and "B"
Sites
Scientific Approach
Initial Summary Results
Future Plans
Acknowledgements
References
Produced Water and Hydrocarbon Releases at the Osage-Skiatook Petroleum Environmental Research Sites, Osage County, Oklahoma: Introduction and Geologic Setting
By James K. Otton and Robert A. Zielinski
Abstract
Introduction
"A" Research Site
Lease History
Geology of the "A" Site
Hydrology
"B" Research Site
Lease History
Geology of the "B" Site
Conclusions
References
Preliminary Geophysical Characterization of Two Oil Production Sites, Osage County, Oklahoma – Osage-Skiatook Petroleum Environmental Research Project
By Bruce D. Smith, Robert J. Bisdorf, Robert J. Horton, James K. Otton, and Ray S. Hutton
Abstract
Introduction
Methods
Geophysical Surveys at Site A
DC Resistivity Soundings
EM31 Survey
Geophysical Surveys at Site B
DC Resistivity Survey
EM31 Survey
Conclusions
References
Petroleum Environmental Research Sites, Osage County, Oklahoma
By Yousif K. Kharaka, James J. Thordsen, Evangelos Kakouros,
and Marvin M. Abbott
Abstract
Introduction
OSPER Sites
Methods and Procedures
Laboratory Measurements
Results and Discussion
OSPER “A” Site
OSPER “B” Site
Summary and Conclusions
Acknowledgements
References
The Fate of Petroleum and Other Organics Associated with Produced Water from the Osage-Skiatook Petroleum Environmental Research Sites, Osage County, Oklahoma
By E. Michael Godsy, Frances D. Hostettler, Ean Warren, V. Vincenzo Paganelli, and Yousif K. Kharaka
Abstract
Introduction
Materials and Methods
Microbial Number Determinations
Core Sample Collection
Water Sample Collection and Analysis
Production Oil Sample Collection
Results and Discussion
Microbial Populations
Aerobes
Facultative Aerobes
Obligate Anaerobes (Respiratory)
Obligate Anaerobes (Fermentative)
Site A Microbially Important Geochemistry
Site A Microbial Populations
Study Area Production Oils
Characterization of Site A Oils
Site B Microbially Important Geochemistry
Site B Microbial Populations
Characterization of Site B Oils
Conclusions
References
Impact of Oil Production Releases on Some Soil Chemical Properties at the OSPER Sites
By Don H. Kampbell, Youn-Joo An, Matthew W. Smith, and Marvin M. Abbott
Abstract
Introduction
Experimental Methods
Results and Discussion
References
Hydrologic Controls on the Subsurface Transport of Oil-field Brine at the Osage-Skiatook Petroleum Environmental Research "B" Site, Oklahoma
By William N. Herkelrath and Yousif K. Kharaka
Abstract
Introduction
Field Site Description
Hydrology and Solute Transport in the Waste Pit Area
The Brine Source in the Waste Pit
Ground-Water Flow from the Waste Pit to the Lake
Water Flow in the Unsaturated Zone
Solute Transport
Preliminary Modeling Results
Discussion
Summary and Conclusions
References
Use of Soil Extracts to Define the Extent of Brine-impacted Soils and Bedrock at the Osage-Skiatook Petroleum Environmental Research “B” Site, Northeastern Oklahoma
By Robert A. Zielinski, Cynthia A. Rice, and James K. Otton
Abstract
Introduction
Site Description
Methods
Results and Discussion
Additional Considerations
Conclusions
References
Characterization of Soils at an Active Oil Production Site: Effects of Brine and Hydrocarbon Contamination
By Cynthia A. Rice, James D. Cathcart, Robert A. Zielinski, and James K. Otton
Abstract
Introduction
Methods
Results and Discussion
Summary
References
Real-time Kinematic (RTK) Surveying at the Osage-Skiatook Petroleum Environmental Research Sites, Osage County, Oklahoma
By Marvin M. Abbott
Abstract
Introduction
Global Positioning System
Equipment Requirements and Methods
Accuracy of the RTK GPS Technology
Summary
References
For additional information write to:
Yousif K. Kharaka
U.S. Geological Survey
Mail Stop 427
345 Middlefield Road
Menlo Park, California 94025, USA
Mail to: ykharaka@usgs.gov
More current information about the OSPER "A" and "B" sites is available at:
http://ok.water.usgs.gov/skiatook/
Copies of this report can be purchased from:
U.S. Geological Survey
Branch of Information Services
Box 25286, MS 517
Federal Center
Denver, CO 80225
You may also connect to the Oklahoma Home Page at:
| AccessibilityFOIAPrivacyPolicies and Notices | |
  |
|